The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is not just constructing roads, rather, it is building road infrastructure designed to last a century.
Mr Umahi stated this on Wednesday, while speaking with newsmen shortly after he inspected work on the ongoing Lagos–Sagamu–Ijebu-Ode–Benin expressway reconstruction project.
The minister explained that the adoption of the concrete pavement technology in road construction was to ensure durability and superiority compared to asphalt.
He said that no asphalt road could last 50 years.
“Show me any asphalt road in this country that has lasted 50 years. Even the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is already failing in some portions.
“But the concrete road built in my state in the 1950s is still standing.
“We are not just constructing roads; we are building roads that will last over 100 years”, the minister said.
He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work on the road reconstruction project, describing it as a model of the new standard for federal road infrastructure in Nigeria.
The minister, who led the inspection team to sections 1 and 2 of the project, said the contractor had completed approximately 8.1 kilometres of one carriageway on the Sagamu-bound lane and working “day and night” to meet the December deadline.
“This project is an extension of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) initiative. under President Tinubu’s administration,” he said.
He, subsequently directed the federal controller of works in Ogun to ensure that every completed 5kilometre-stretch is opened to traffic after 21 days and properly maintained to ease movement and reduce travel stress for motorists.
On the aesthetics and safety components of the project, he said the highway would feature solar-powered streetlights, CCTV surveillance, rest areas, clinics, security posts, eateries, and other roadside facilities under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).
“We are also introducing tree planting along the corridor for environmental beauty and protection.
“By the first week of November, Nigerians should begin to see solar lighting installations and other features taking shape,” he added.
The minister reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to timely delivery of road projects, submitting that Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda prioritised quality, safety, and long-term value.
Mr Umahi later led his team to inspect the ongoing repair work on the damaged flyover at Alapako Village, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister also inspected ongoing construction at Ojoo area of Oyo state.
NAN
